Tartalomjegyzék

In the aftermath of the Third War, the night elves had to adjust to their mortal existence. Such an adjustment was far from easy, and there were many night elves who could not adjust to the prospects of aging, disease and frailty. Seeking to regain their immortality, a number of wayward druids conspired to plant a special tree that would reestablish a link between their spirits and the eternal world. With Malfurion Stormrage missing, Fandral Staghelm — the leader of those who wished to plant the new World Tree - became the new Arch-Druid. In no time at all, he and his fellow druids had forged ahead and planted the great tree, Teldrassil, off the stormy coasts of northern Kalimdor. Under their care, the tree sprouted up above the clouds. Among the twilight boughs of the colossal tree, the wondrous city of Darnassus took root. Darnassus was built to honor the survival of the night elven race.[3]

Darnassus is a part of Teldrassil. a giant tree in the middle of the ocean. It is the capital city of the Night Elves and after the third war they sided with the Alliance to repel the nature hating orc. While they still hold a bond with their druid cousins, they didn't take it lightly when they joined the Horde. The easy way to enter the city is by taking a portal found at Rut'Theran Village and to return to the village you simply take the same one. Most notable people to reside here are Fandral Staghelm where he sends adventurers to do some tasks and Tyrande Whisperwind who is the official leader of their society. The city is an Alliance only territory.

Recently, Malfurion returned from the Emerald Dream and helped imprison Fandral, who, as it turned out, had been turned insane by Lord Xavius and responsible for the corruption of Teldrassil. Malfurion, druids and Alexstrasza with Ysera redeemed and blessed the Tree. Arch-Druid Stormrage now stands in the Temple of the Moon alongside his beloved.

With the worgen and human gilneans streaming in from Gilneas as refugees. The night elf druids from Darnassus grabbed a seed from the outsiders land and grew it into a tree which became a safe haven for their new alias.

In the wake of the Cataclysm, Tyrande and Malfurion conducted a summit near Darnassus in order to vote the proud worgen of Gilneas into the Alliance. However, resentment of Gilneas and its ruler, Genn Greymane, runs deep in Stormwind's King Varian Wrynn. His refusal to forgive Genn for closing his nation off from the rest of the world years ago endangers more than just the summit: it threatens to unravel the Alliance itself. However, Varian's animosity was only one of many unsettling developments in Darnassus. An uneasiness creeps over the once-immortal night elves as the first of them fall victim to the infirmities of age. While they cope with their mortality, tensions flare over the reintroduction of the Highborne, formerly the highest caste of night elf nobility, into their society. Many night elves are unable to pardon the Highborne for the destruction unleashed on Azeroth millennia ago by their reckless use of magic. When a murdered Highborne was discovered on the outskirts of Darnassus, Malfurion and Tyrande move to stop further bloodshed and unrest by appointing one of the night elves' most cunning and skilled agents to find the killer: the renowned wardenMaiev Shadowsong. Jarod Shadowsong, Maiev's brother, had also returned, and brought his wife with him in attempt to heal her of her illness. Jarod then cooperated with Maiev in helping her with her case. Meanwhile, Malfurion attempted to mend fences between Varian and Genn. After the battle for Ashenvale was over, the identity of the Highborne murderer was discovered and the Alliance resolved their issues and voted Gilneas back into the Alliance.[4]

Thanks to the efforts of Agent Connelly, the Alliance found out what the horde were up to and took the upper hand. Night elf sentinels located the hidden crypt, found and secured the Divine Bell and took it to Darnassus, all thanks to the sacrifice of Sarannha Skyglaive.However, it was all in vain, as a sunreaver agent working for the horde infiltrated the city under the banner of neutrality by the Kirin Tor and entered undetected, he located the bell in the Cenarion Enclave and teleported it to Silvermoon City. After learning of the theft, Jaina goes to its former location and found specs of magic leading a path to the city's exit. After finding the source, she saw a portal leading to Dalaran and it was at this point that she realized that action needs to be taken. Soon after the discovery, the Purge of Dalaran began.

The city is formidable in spite of the peaceful natures of the night elves. In addition to the night elves, many guests and diplomats from elsewhere reside here, such as groups from the Explorers' Guild and the Knights of the Silver Hand, as well as a few representatives of the Horde negotiating peace treaties. The population here is almost entirely elven, and most of the night elves are tolerant of others. However, there is political strife between the druids and priests.[5]

From her seat in the Temple of the Moon, the high priestess Tyrande Whisperwind rules with the support of her fellow priestesses of the Moon. Next to her, her husband Arch-Druid Malfurion Stormrage presides over his druidic compatriots. Before the Cataclysm, Arch-Druid Fandral Staghelm led the druids and struggled to control Darnassus. For his corruption of Teldrassil, he was eventually imprisoned in Moonglade.

An Alliance-only graveyard has been added at the eastern end of Darnassus. Alliance characters dying in Darnassus will use this new graveyard. Horde characters dying on Teldrassil will still only be able to use the graveyard at Dolanaar.

Patch 1.4.0 (patch időpontja: 2005-05-05): Patrolling scouts that can see through stealth and invisibility have been added to Darnassus.